MY WITCH 22: The Mudslugs
by NotQuiteNormOld
Summary: WxC  Elyon adjusts to her new life as the Princess of Meridian living in Phobos' castle, although she is still under the illusion that Phobos has created. Meanwhile, Cornelia gets upset about losing Elyon to Cedric and Phobos and she quits W.I.T.C.H.
1. Chapter 1

I'm afraid that I'm only posting one chap today, though actually I generally don't post on Sundays at all..

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><p>"This place takes your breath away!" Prince Phobos was aware of his gardens' beauty, though he saw few fit to journey with him through. Elyon was not one of these few. It was early morning and the breeze was icy; the mist of dusk dampening his idea pf the flowers' splendor, and Prince Phobos did not feel particularly well enough to chore himself through a tour of his own gardens, but Lord Cedric wasn't wrong to suggest. Phobos had to keep Elyon's faith with himself, and if it meant letting her grow a carnality that she would be sad to ever think would be reciprocated, while they cantered around his gardens playing fools, then it was what must be done.<p>

Elyon stroked one of the rabbit-like creatures and with a glinting smile she didn't see, Phobos wondered if now would be the appropriate time to tell her that if she scared the creature, it's defense was simply to turn inside out around her hand and let digestive fluids do the rest. He decided against it, instead only placing his hand gently on her shoulder, causing her to jump up and flush inappropriately from her cheeks, redding further to a charming smile, "I knew you would like it."

It was despicable, but nevertheless it would do him fit justice to play on her emotions, so he let his hand sweep down her back, flatly resting on the bottom curve of her spine as he gently pressed on; walking now back towards the castle, not because of a lack of scenery, but simply the fact that he'd had enough and as much as the Prince enjoyed power and terror and rage, scandal and lust were not necessarily in his own personal vocabulary. "The castle! These gardens! It feels like I'm in a fairytale!"

He hated her. He'd decided to herald dislike on meeting, dis-ownership the second day, but now as he looked into her dreamily clouded eyes with a false smile he knew for sure. Of all the people who had betrayed or fought him, Elyon Brown 'Escanor' was the person he most despised. She was filthy and he wondered if the Earthian air had purged her pure and cleanest blood. "Sometimes, fairytales come true.."

**...**

"Right, right, okay, this is where the end-trails are; this is where the heart is; to the left, is everybody watching me?" Cornelia Hale shot into her seat as the teacher once again turned to the board, having made it from the door at the back to her desk at the front of her oversized science class. "What's going on?"

Cornelia glanced back as Uriah Dunn from the year above grinned and chuckled, "Don't you know? This afternoon, it's D-day!"

"Huh?" Cornelia frowned, trying to make sense out of what the older boy had said, but not having a clue. She figured outfielders had their own language, and a criminal like Uriah, always nicking stuff from shops and breaking and entering and stuff, was probably lucky to be able to form almost fully coherent sentences.. Damn, sometimes they were even funny. Not very often.

Alchemy, directly next to her, with only the space between desks separating them, smiled sympathetically, having had been Cornelia's go-to girl on Sunday to rant about how much she could kill Will, the nicest part being that with the Caleb gossip, Alchemy was still angry, despite the fact that Cornelia had cleared it up as false. In fact, Cornelia had to admit that as innocent as it might have been, the image was still replaying in Cornelia's mind, and it was safe to say it was pissing her off. "_Dissection_-day. It's all this week."

"Ew!"

Cornelia ground teeth, the board exhibiting a clear diagram of a worm, and the thought of slicing it open making her stomach churn, but Alchemy grinned. "Oh, you don't have to do it alone! You can work with your lab partner!"

"But my lab partner was-" Cornelia's heart sank a little, and she looked at the empty chair beside her where Elyon would be seated, "My lab partner _is _Elyon.. She's.. On vacation still, so with no lab partner I can probably skip it right?"

At that second Uriah threw forward his fist next to her face, hand full of writhing worms, causing Cornelia to jump and scream with shock. The professor however only turned and frowned as the entire room burst into fits of laughter around her. It was this that made Infielders seem shallow she supposed; one second you're everybody's best friend, and next they laugh in your face. At least Cornelia had always known who her real friends were.. But everything had changed now. "Uriah, we don't start dissection until period three. Put those away."

"Will's partner is off sick today," Cornelia momentarily froze, before twisting her head to see Will's bright mop, slouching over her work; most people would almost think she was sleeping, but Cornelia saw it as a bad habit of Will's to write with her head leaning on her free arm for hours. It was just Will's thing, though she usually saved it for a bad mood or when she was upset, "So you'll probably be paired with her."

The head shot up and Will's eyes met Cornelia's rather than reading the next note on the board, but Cornelia could only scowl before turning away. "I don't think so."

**...**

Will stared down at her bleak meal, shifting the mashed potato with her fork, though she didn't have an appetite. It was fine, as most of the ninth or tenth grade girls weren't eating anyway; hoping to avoid any queasiness during the dreaded _D-Day._ But Will had seen Cornelia and Will had heard the whispers shared throughout the massive hall as Cornelia had tried to swap partners to Alchemy, causing a mad chaos of partner swaps as everyone tried to find someone they got on with to sit beside. "You're partnered with Matt; I hope you're happy." Silence dawned Taranee, Hay Lin and Irma as Will bit down, her staring down becoming harder as Cornelia stood behind her, still for a few seconds. When the blonde didn't get an answer Will had to wince at the clash of Cornelia's tray slamming onto the table, "I have had it!"

"Cornelia, we all feel terrible about Elyon," That was her job. Will was meant to say that, not Taranee. It was Will's job to keep them from fighting and to stop them from fighting and even to console them, but Will wasn't good at any of those things. She wasn't a leader, and she hated Caleb for ever trying to make her feel better by telling her that she could be. "But-"

"We thought we were protecting her." Will looked up to Cornelia, who was standing, fists holding onto the sides of her tray as she used it to lean against the table. "We thought Phobos would take longer to find her.."

"No, you thought that!" Will let her shoulders drop in defeat; Cornelia was right. The only person who'd actually agreeing with her was Caleb, and the only reason she'd believed it was because she'd never been smart enough to consider that Caleb might just pity her. "I am sick of playing follow the leader! My best friend is in the clutches of some creature! Things were going just fine before you came to this school!"

"It's not.. _All _Will's fault.."

Will closed her eyelids over stinging eyes, wondering if she would make it out of the room before someone spotted her, but knew Cornelia would only see it as another reason to yell at her. Stupid Will.. Weak Will.. Cowardice Will.. But Will refused to show how hurt she was. Cornelia didn't deserve to get to see her fall, though she'd much rather go, curl up in a ball somewhere and.. An image of her astral drop being held in a desperately tight grip, by Caleb flashed up and she found herself opening her eyes, simply so that it would go away.. "Whatever, but this _protecting the Viel _thing is becoming seriously un-fun."

"Cornelia." Irma stood, not quite matching tall Cornelia's fight, and Will wondered if she would maybe wake up any minute in her mother's car; her arms sleepily leaning on the dashboard.. "It's not an after-school activity! It's our duty to-"

"Well duty can lose my phone number!"


	2. Chapter 2

We have a beaut of a chunky Caleb paragraph, which I have taken care to keep on the side of T-rated rather than M, but it's.. Not exactly fluff.. :L :L

I figure cert15's have b**bs, so in comparison this is nothing... (I've seen sex and the city :L :L)

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><p>"What are you talking about?" Taranee's eyes shifted from the seething Cornelia, to Will's humble figure as she tried to think of what Cornelia could mean.. She wouldn't leave.. Would she? Actually if anyone were to leave the odd Gaurdian group, Cornelia was probably anyone's bet, but she wouldn't.. She'd seen how seriously Caleb had taken the last time she'd screwed up, and Cornelia wouldn't put Will in that position again, surely.. "Even friends fight.."<p>

"We'll all be best friends again tomorrow!" Taranee's smile wavered at Hay Lin's over-positive statement.. This wasn't something that simple, and Taranee empathized how hard it must be for the blonde without her best friend, but surely Will didn't deserve all of the blame. "Pinky swear!"

Hay Lin raised her pinky, and for Hay Lin's sake Taranee found herself imitating, along with Irma, while Will's red mop continued to sink her face lower into her chest. "The pinky isn't going to fix this one."

"Mm.." Will looked up, and Taranee wondered if Cornelia would stoop so low as to throw her lunch at the redhead; Cornelia's long fingers whitening from her grip on the tray as she glared at Will. "Maybe we should've told Elyon the truth.."

"Yes, we should have. And now I'm going to do something I should have a long time ago." The tray raised from the table and Taranee winced. A glance at Irma told her the brunette was anticipating the same thing, but Cornelia didn't budge. "I quit. I quit this friendship! I quit the Guardians! Somebody else can fight big lizards and gargoyles for a while!"

And then she was gone.

**...**

The past few nights had been long for Caleb, and he twisted to click his sore neck as he walked on. On Saturday he'd barely slept at all, Sunday being just as bad as he writhed between the universes of conciousness and bliss; guilt racking through him whenever the icy air of the darkness revisited his senses, because of the reality that came with it. The pain and the suffering and the long silences much like that of the nights that would surely follow as he prayed and wished that he could again drift away; gleeful when he did fall into a short period without wakefulness, yet each short-lived dream seemed to last an unforgiving eternity, though each time he'd awaken with the playful, strong, dainty, wandering, childish, carnal kisses already fading from his memories and the sweet surprise, whether it be the fragile drop he protectivly held closer; curing her feat of those quivering lips with his own and letting himself taste the tears that had covered her cheeks as he kissed away the pain with his adoradation. Or Will; strong Will, who didn't much need his protection in comparison, but her pain was of equal proportion as he caught the hand about to hit his cheek; pulling it behind him along with her other as he then ventured to lace his hands through the slim contours of her back and waist, allowing her own arms to wrap around them as they endured through long passions and fire scorching - no worries of who might come or see them as he turned and pressed the back of her hips against the table, finding himself fixed to her, with his hands and searching fingers tearing gently over her porcelian skin, tasting only her as she removed all of his pain by setting fire to the memories and knowledges that trapped him in his dark past. Each time he closed his eyes he found himself surrounded by one or the other; transfixed by them in every new situation which presented itself to him. And he always knew. Even if he'd never taken Will to the city of Págosgyalí. Even if he'd never with the drop, had the chance to venture to his bedroom. He could tell which one. And every time he condemed his own silent wish for Will, where his memories would linger and t becae so real he could almost smell her cinnamony scent from the day they'd first encountered. It was unacceptable and unappropriate, but for once in his life it was _his _dreams to enjoy. Something for him. In his dreams Will had always been laughing away his desperation or even frightened as he forced himself unpracticedly onto her. He always seemed to know what he was doing, but in life he'd never alone have thought, surely, of scraping his teeth against the nape of her neck, he was sure Will would never have screamed or laughed as she used to. But these dreams were new. These dreams were different. Will was compliant now and seemed to want him as much as he seemed to want her. His own little secret. He didn't understand, but he was sure as hell enjoying it. It meant nothing anyway right? Dreams were only nonsense.. "Excuse me!"

Caleb whipped his head around as reality crashed through his thoughts and Cornelia's blonde hair pushed past a young woman and a slightly older man, having obviously had walked directly past him. "Cornelia!"

She jumped when he grabbed for the odd equipment on her head, and he slid them on, wondering what they did. It was music. It was awful. Hay Lin's taste wasn't all that much better with most tracks, but on occasion he'd heard something totally abstract which he liked, though one song he'd changed his mind about after having heard Hay Lin's bubbling voice tell him that a Matt Olsen was in the band; it wasn't a certain thing, but something about the name didn't ring right in his ears, though he guessed he must've seen the guy on TV or something as apparently music 'stars' were a big thing and untouchably lived in their own little world. Either way the music Cornelia was hearing was slow, boring. He wondered why she'd have chosen to listen to this when she ought to have been walking, surely, with the girls home..

"Ow!" Suddenly Cornelia snapped the equipment from his head and forcefully walked in the opposite direction from him, clearly trying to get away. He'd known this was coming and he knew that he owed her an apology from Saturday night; apparently he couldn't get it right with any of these girls, but he figured that Cornelia was the most obvious to be handled. "Look, Cornelia.. Will was wrong. People can be wrong. The other rebels and I, we fight. But we always pull it together for the cause."

"Well I'm rebelling against our cause!" Cornelia had stopped, and he wasn't entirely sure what she'd meant. He hadn't said any more about how he was the one to blame rather than Will, because he knew it was the only way she'd listen. She wanted to blame Will, and he'd have to approach her carefully to get her to change her mind. The rebellion and his fighting was un understatement too, but Cornelia never seemed too eager to listen to reason, and he guessed she'd only listen to a much shortened version of whatever he ever might have to say.

"The people of Meridian need you. The Metaworld needs you." Caleb didn't like to influence her ego, and he knew it would never help if Cornelia once saw the advantage of her powers as an ability to overrule Will even further. It was never good for one of the lowers to be stronger than a leader. "Please Gaea."

"They have my best friend!" It worried Caleb more that it was Cornelia who seemed to be possessing over Elyon, and refusing to let go the entire mistakes behind it. Will had made a good decision, the consiquences couldn't have been predicted. But Cornelia couldn't seem to grasp that. "They don't need me!"


	3. Chapter 3

Due to Tessa's help on narrowing Caleb's dreams out of Will or Will-stral drop (naturally we decided on both, for fluff-value) there may be a few of the flashbacks you'll find below threaded through this 'episode', giving it a ridiculous length - considering I managed to fit about 30seconds of actual cartoon into this chapter... :L :L

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><p>The door clicked open and Will's eyes flew up to meet Caleb's, instantly falling back to a downward gaze as she inwardly recited all of the reasons to be mad at him. Everyone knew, and on Sunday she'd even recieved a text asking her why she'd slapped him from Hay Lin, and one from Irma asking why she hadn't been invited to see it. But it seemed silly now, and if the drop had asked him to take it, he was probably only trying to figure out why it was broken. Or maybe he had thought she'd told the drop to ask him; drops were only meant to do what the original wanted them to do. And now she'd have to tell him about Cornelia. "I've talked to Cornelia. She was hiding out, listening to.. Er.. Girl music."<p>

"Oh," Yan Lin waved away his words with a hand, and picked up a tray, "She just needs some time.."

"She _needs_ better taste in musice." Will found herself choking on her tea, guiltily scolding herself for even thinking of laughing while Cornelia was out there; hot tea in her mouth and Caleb's staring green eyes on her were Karma for her state of amusement as a reaction to, she suspected, one of Caleb's first jokes that weren't rudely directed at herself. She ducked her head down when Caleb seemed to hint a smile.

Yan Lin made her way over, and Hay Lin looked up with the glassy puppy-dog eyes Will had had to put up with for about thirty minutes now - since Hay Lin had checked her emails and found out. "She blocked me off her online friends list!"

"That is serious.." Will sank lower, knowing how small a deal most people took I. to be, but also knowing that she'd never even made it _on _Cornelia's friends list.. Nevermind off.. Will knew it was a long shot, but as she tried to stare-off the green eyes she'd instantly found wandering back to her, she recalled the clumsily-successful rescue of the rebel leader standing across the room. It was he that had found his _'Gaea' _for them, and she smiled slightly at the somehow already distant memories of how she'd hated him so. But the point was not Caleb, instead being on Cornelia.. Or the lack of her that day.

"Is it possible.. To still take on Phobos without her..?" Caleb seemed to find that funny, smiling and rolling his head back against the door on which he'd chosen to lean, but the other girls gaped at her in horrer, as if she was the only one thinking of it..

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

_"Will.." Caleb breathed out the whisper as the tiny figure cuddled herself into a small ball, sat in the blueish twilight and he wondered if she wouldn't be cold like that, even in her long heavy pajamas.. But those werent her pajamas at all and Caleb found himself smiling as the little girl clutched his heavy coat closer to her body, though it still hung loosely on her wafer-shoulders; it hung loosely enough on him, but without her bright hair, which now seemed a maroony colour in the limelight, he'd have almost never have known there was a whole person inside the folds of the thickest brown materials. "Déftero-Will?"_

_"She hates me Caleb, they all, they-" Her mouth stopped as her beautiful chocolatey eyes found him, quite suddenly beside her, startling her slightly. Whatever she'd had to say was lost, but Caleb found her image alone; her skin tinged blue in the faded scene, and his own heart racing because she really did look half-dead with her eyes rimmed darker and the shadowy blue pigmented where he knew her skin would be red and blotchy and she must've wiped her eyes, as he always did, even without any tears, but she had tears now. Tranclucent water that seemed to capture any small glimpse of light the room had and reflect it ten times as brightly, just so that the tears could announce they're burning presence to him._

_Caleb let his hand slip under her chin; lifting her head to finally face him entirely, while the rest of his body leaned on the spare hand and arm attached to it. "Who, déftero-Will? Who hates you?"_

_"Gaea."_

_A simple word that crushed his heart like two strong hands, having fisted and torn straight into his chest, affecting his lungs as they pulverized his blood-organ. But how could it be? They couldn't have succeeded as blood still seemed to be pumping and his heart beat was loud and strong in his ears; far too fast as he lunged gently forward; his lips meeting hers as he accidentally took her sitting body to the floor, but never once breaking the kiss as he fell foward; she, back. And there they lay, where he'd instantly rolled off her too the side, unable to prevent the grin; cheeky as a young boy stole a sad girl's kiss, but she was smiling too, and suddenly he loved the tears he had just loathed. Because she was a thousand times prettier to smile through her tears than simply to smile, yet it wouldn't have mattered if she were crying because nothing was quite as beautiful anyway and every peice of his paralysed heart peiced back together when she admitted to him a light laugh; not a joke, but a simple announcement that he had in fact restored her happiness as she leaned toward him and planted that smile on his lips, the entire feature becoming contageous, but he didn't want it to deepen. Didn't want it to stop. He didn't want to go anywhere and certainly didn't want to close his eyes against the radiance of alluring Venus that he was sure could only ever be a betrayment of his eyes. "Déftero-Will.."_

_"What, Caleb?" She gave him a lopsided smile that made him so sure of his feelings, yet it made him feel like something was missing and the doubt simply became of whether it were truely she he was feeling these mad rushes for, or if a part of him was still searching for something else, and if yes, what that something might be.. There was something that was escaping him, and something alluding his mind, but he couldn't seem to think of what or who.. And why was this girl he was so into deeply adulating called second-Will? Was second something he should remember? Was second not reasoning that there would be a first? And what would her name be? Would it be first? Or would it be-_

"Will!" Caleb struggled for breath as he found himself untangling the quilts and wondering how his pillow had made it to his feet. He'd done it again, he was sure, but he wished now, only that he could remember, but the feelings and sensations had dissolved on awakening, and the only evidence he'd certainly dreamed of her was the fact that he had called her name. Caleb wiped the thick beads of sweat from his coarse, bronzed brow as he rolled onto his stomach; squinting over the high bed-post at the clock which read that it had not been ten minutes since he'd last glared at the flashing numbers enviously, wishing that he'd never awoken from his stale kisses and her pushing him forcefully against cold metal - he now couldn't recall what the metal had been; perhaps a car or maybe he had been lain and it had been the roof structure of some power-house shed, but he'd certainly liked that dream, while this almost awoke him with a dreaded knot in his stomach that told him it must have been déftero, rather than Will..

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

"What! You know you were all wondering it too!" Caleb watched Will's cheeks glaze with red as the other assumably glared or gaped at her words. He hadn't been surprised. It was a good question. But then, he'd thought her last had been a good idea too..

"I am afraid not.." Caleb smiled as Will tried to hide the slightest shred of disappointment of her features, but failed as he, too sighed. It would all be simpler without Gaea. _Gaea. _"You Guardians share a great burden. Divided, your powers will be diminished."

"Oh.." As Will looked down at the table, Caleb found himself wondering if this was a fact stated, or if it's honesty lay in about as much as the idea of Phobos shaping the Veil..

Yan Lin snapped a fortune cookie and pulled out the paper, but he could only see a thin scrawl of unreadable text as the woman face the girls and read it. "Ah! An old friend will return to you."

"Let me see that!" Caleb grinned as Hay Lin made a grab for the paper; the fact that she'd ever possibly believe that her grandmother's voice wasn't higher due to fabrication was probably funnier than the old hag thinking their age-range wouldn't spot the likelyhood of her lying.

"Oh.. You don't have to see it to believe it!" Caleb stepped forward and grinned over the woman's shoulder at _'Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions', _his smile falling as he thought of his dreams. He shook his head, telling himself to remember that it was all fake, and that it was Yan Lin's fortune anyway, and, "Belief comes from within."


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, flashback is kinda randomly added, but there is never 'no room' for fluff.. Right? ;)

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><p>Sand fell around and Prince Phobos enjoyed watching the change. Otherwise, scrying would have in fact be a more useful alternative, but Elyon Brown's mention of her 'bestfriend' had sent him here anyway, while she went skulking away, apologizing as she went for ruining the cheerful mood of which they'd entered the gardens this morning again. It would seem his own quick end the first time had only given her option to ask him to finish the tour this morning and he doubted she'd even noticed the way she despicably flaunted a small smile and twisting braids that he could only assume was her attempt at being wry.<p>

Yes, but his moral of the entire debacle of an outing is that your family's friends are your friends, as he'd only accidentally mentioned the guardians, and at her asking who they were, all had ended up here; with him back inside and his sister out of his sight, if only for a short time. He was quite sure she'd been on the verge of crying as she walked away and Phobos was glad that she hadn't tried to play coy for his sympathies. A woman, even your sister, should only be seen. Crying evoked sniffles and Prince Phobos hated the sound. It tore through him because, quite plainly, it was an ugly noise. To know someone was crying could be almost humoring, but to hear it was pray ugly. But he didn't have to listen, it was the Earth guardian who'd done it: sprung tears to Elyon Brown's eyes. Her voice had been broken and sore when she had asked, _'Can't you save them? Save them from her?' _He smiled at the memory, though he'd have liked to have had notice about Cedric's fabrication; now that he'd hidden the murmurers away. Into the murmur room, his magical command had drained him, but in a blink of an eye they were gone, back, into the halls and missing only one as he locked the door behind his very soul's work. Or most of it at least. He peered in as the girl, much too young for the cause, took off heavy head phones and gave another girl a int of a sad smile. He'd had to start hiding things. The darkness. Elyon was starting to notice it, so his spell would be fading. The castle had become clean and bright, and his momento of mourning for his father was gone; the dark walls and heavy curtains; with the excess light Prince Phobos was not used to, everything seemed yellow from his eyes. God knew, 'Princess' Elyon had probably painted everything yellow while he wasn't looking.

"Wait," Phobos stared down at the moving images in the sands, and watched the blonde forcefully shove past Will. Will. The blonde carried on chatting happily while Will was left to rub a hand over her sore shoulder, looking very much the victim with her large brown eyes, which betrayed her otherwise lifeless features as she tried to keep composure. They were fighting. "So..-"

"Phobos!" The cheerful voice rang out and shattered the fragile glass of his mind which was pounding from the light and certainly did not need the addition of her noise adding to the pain. This was agony. Given the choice he would not have even shared air with this girl. Would not let which passed her lungs into his own, but no, he knew. Fear was an insulator and anger would not keep her here. He smiled almost lazily and had to hold the sneer which longed to give reply to her pinking cheeks. "Hey!"

"Let me show you something." Phobos placed his hands once again on the small of her back, once he'd come close enough to touch her. If she was busy scolding her own shamefulness he wouldn't be noticed, siphoning her power to fuel the spur he was about to present for her anger. He could change the sands if he borrowed her force. "This, is the viewing stone."

The sands parted into a watery formation of the image he'd created. The Earth girl laughed happily, while Will's arm rested around her shoulder; she, laughing too, unnaturally wide smiles forming as his use of another's power fluctuated, but Elyon's enraged eyes seemed to believe the slightly scewed image. Perhaps she believed the sands could not form a perfect picture. Perhaps she was too mad to care. "I can't believe Cornelia's forgotten me so quickly.."

He waved his hand unnoticeably, and the image changed to show the entire group, again happily talking with Will, who he'd noticed Elyon hated. Now, no words came, Elyon only silently pulled a chain which had been hung round her neck since she'd arrived, and tugged off the peasantly locket. Phobos feigned concern as she let it drop and roll across a few feet of marble; tears springing once again to her eyes. "What's that Elyon?"

"It's, um, just a gift. A joke, I suppose. I thought they were my friends." Her eyes grew large and glassy and she'd told him that she'd like to be alone. Yes, he certainly did like the Earth guardian. Apparently the 'Elyon repellent'. He bent down and scooped up the necklace, opening the round locket to find hair. Brown, blonde and a long and short of darkest almost black. Three guesses weren't needed for Phobos where they'd come from.

Cedric walked in and Phobos changed the image of Will with a young man, smiling soberly and laughing through sad features as he cheered her up, to Cornelia. The Earth guardian. A young man from behind had laughed and thrown a worm in front of her face, which contorted into that of obvious disgust. Phobos grinned, letting out a lowly laugh. "The girl doesn't like worms."

"Oh? The _Earth _Guardian?" Cedric stepped forward more, to glance into the pool as the blonde frowned again. He watched her glance behind to the watery smile of Will, the guardian's mood clearly then depleting entirely. Phobos nodded and motioned.

"She's been arguing with the leader."

Cedric grinned too then, and for once it was not wry at the mention of the red-haired child, but instead purely sinister and two young boys were at that moment, sharing the joke of scaring a little girl with oozy bugs. "Then perhaps we should send the others a visitor."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

_Meridian's suns were shining; one barely a sliver of rising light, while the other was halfway down already. It had always been a beautiful notion to Caleb that the city was naturally never in complete darkness; the sun currently about to rise only being a slightest light though, so that sleep was usually defined to happen then. It was his favourite sun and he enjoyed to stay and watch the pinkish glow of it that would be in the center of the sky in a few hours, but today there was a far more beautiful view, staring up at the sun with raw, sober eyes. She didn't yet know that he was there, and he found himself with a choice to walk away from the small figure, clad entirely in her very Earth wear, as trousers were entirely unsuitable for a woman. But none of this woman was suitable and he enjoyed that she was heard, almost as much as she was seen, even with her bright locks; which themselves hung astray in a mess that would certainly not be accepted by most families as a suitable lady for a man to be enthronged with. He really ought to walk away, and she'd never know if he were there, so there would be no consiquencial thrashing, as he may find himself with if he stayed. "Will."_

_He stepped forward and into the dim light, as the young girl's smile lit as much as his own and she ran at him, skidding just to late so that he caught her in his arms as she hit against his chest, already drawing a playful finger over his shoulder to meet the other arm, which she hung over, loosely around his neck; standing on her tiptoes so that she could barely reach him any more than usual. But it didn't matter as he arched his back, pressing his forehead onto hers and flickering at a smile that did no justice for the happiness inside him as her face changed; a change that he was so sure would only ever meet his dreams as her smile faded and she had to jump into the kiss, sending him a few steps back to steady himself as his grip changed to the very top of her thighs; not wanting to offend her or send her away as she wrapped her legs around his hips: her doing this probably only to avoid the issue of her height and her loose grip on his shoulders became a tighter hug around his neck, her smile being the only thing he could taste until he finally wrapped his arms over her back and she released his lips from the grip of lust. Her kiss then brushed his cheekbone, then along the line of his jaw until his chin where she moved down his neck and along one shoulder, her laughing, shining breath a floral whisper on the warm night's breeze of Meridian. "Don't let go.."_

_But she was slipping from his grip and her face changed to fear; his desperation planting as many soft kisses on her cheeks as he tried to reassure himself. But he wasn't sure.. Was it the drop? Was it Will? He usually couldn't remember but he recalled how sure he'd been of Will, but the expression of the little girl that came from Will was now threatening to bring tears as he kissed just below, and then onto her eye lids, and he faintly recalled begging, "Please, please. Please, please."_

_In her language, so as not to offend her, but wait.. The astral drop had never been offended and she was fading now, and he could barely feel her at all as he gripped tighter around her; he knew he could hurt her but he just wanted to feel that she was real.. To feel her touch and kiss and.._

When Caleb opened his eyes the alarm was calling out for him to get up, and he let go of the pillow he was so tightly hugging close. "Fuck!"_  
><em>**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

Lord Cedric threw the entire locket into the pit of the ilýs-salinkária. The mudslug. "Yes, yes, hungry one. Food, will be provided."


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey! What's with the face?" Cornelia gave Alchemy a weak smile, but let it drop for fear of bursting into tears. She was alone in the world, and had no chance of redemption. She'd lost a friend and thrown all the others away; Alchemy was the only person she knew well enough to seek comfort in, and that was only because Elyon adored Alchemy so. It was only when everyone was gone that it becomes clear that popularity is only a label. Cornelia Hale was so many people's friend, but how many of those people were her friends? How many did she care about? No one. Alchemy was the only person left, and even she wasn't really a friend. But she was comfort.

Cornelia let her long, flaxen hair fall in front of her face as she found herself, for the first time in so long, embarrassed. It was all very good that she was pretty and noticable, but today she wanted to be invisable. "Hey.. Can I come in?"

Alchemy instantly stepped back, a knowing smile on her lips as she welcomed a friend of a friend into her home. It was only then that Cornelia realized she hardly knew anything about Alchemy. And it was only then that she found out how right Elyon was to keep this girl; Alchemy was already a star. She didn't say a thing either, and Cornelia felt a small portion of her troubles blur as Alchemy led her up a flight of unfamiliar steps and into the girl's bedroom; unhooking the phone and sitting beside Cornelia on the bed. "What happened? ..Was it a break up with a guy?"

Cornelia found herself smiling, tears creeping to her eyes as the idea of a guy reminded her of how it used to be, and the idea of a guy suddenly made reality crash down - she had only had a slight ooze of drripping dread, but now the roof had collapsed and the entire world's troubles were flooding in and drowning her. She'd never see Elyon again. She'd never speak to the girls again. She'd have to look at Will every day, and she'd have to live with the guilt of everything. Everyone. Will was in just as deep, and Elyon ought to be mad for her lying, and the girls.. The girls were young; Hay Lin wasn't even fourteen until June, and Irma and Taranee were barely blame-able for their decisions. "Uh.. Yeah. Something like that.."

Alchemy pressed and stroked her hand gently over Cornelia's back, and Cornelia felt like such a child as the tears ran down her face and she knew she'd be red-eyed if she didn't stop soon. "The best way to deal is to tune out the world and listen to some real depressing music. Somehow, it uplifts you."

Cornelia lay back as Alchemy tuned the radio, putting on the headphones Alchemy provided and closing her eyes, wishing for the vivid images of her friends to fade into the blackness.

**...**

Caleb stared out of Irma's window at the blue sky and the empty road, knowing full well that the guardians and Will had been sitting now for about thirty minutes; no one sure how to start the conversation. He wish Will wasn't mad. He wish he could speak alone with her, rather than letting these children have say, but he could see that she was letting go; giving up on the idea of any small monarchy and knowing that since Cornelia had blamed everything on her, that the girl appeared to be vouging for democracy. He could step up, he knew and take over, but something that wasn't there when they'd first met was stopping him now. She could do this. "Will, you're the leader! There's gotta be some way to get Cornelia back!"

"Uh, yeah? Well I'm open to ideas!" He could almost hear the roll in her eyes, though he had no proof that it'd happened as she instantly rejected any sense of leadership.

"Hey!" Caleb turned around to look again at a familiar face; the boy, Chris, was Irma's brother, though their resemblance wasn't particular - Chris was blonde and seemed fairly vapid, while Irma, he'd assumed, was only lazy in her works. They really didn't look all that much alike. "Irma! Look what I found!"

"Chris. Little brother rule number one: _knock_!" Caleb smiled, familiar to the way Aldarn would never once ask permission to be in his presence; an assumed right, though one Caleb gave gracefully. Irma's face changed from annoyance to disgust as her eyes roamed over the clumpy mud coating the boy's.. Body. "Second thought, don't touch my door, or anything else of mine.. What've you got?"

The question had been surprised, and Caleb rolled his own eyes Irma peered at the side of the jar in the boy's hands; fully aware of the grotesque passling currently eating away at both the girl's snacks and the dirt falling from Chris' boots. His eyes wandered over Hay Lin and Taranee; who showed equal interest to the boy's findings, while his gaze moved to rest on Will, who he smiled at the image of - currently picking the chocolate chips out of a cookie. It wasn't that she didn't like them, he'd seen her eat them in the past, but it was clearly something of worry; her own funny little stress reliever in the situation. "I was on my way home from-"

"Eww!" He grinned, as Will looked up and scrunched her nose up at whatever the others were crowding around. "It's gross! It's like a- a-"

"Meridian mud!"

Caleb froze; Will's head shooting up to look at him worriedly as they both thought the same thing. Caleb peered out the window as several familiar looking critters pushed out of the ground. They were fast. They were dangerous. And they were usually hungry. "Meridian mudslugs!"

"Huh?" Caleb nearly jumped out of his skin as Will's voice suddenly became too close, and he took a step back as she studied the ground until she found the beasts that would eat any one of them alive. Or all of them. "Them?"

He nodded grimly as she and the other girls crowded at the window, and he didn't for a second doubt that they would be tracked onto them - by scent, fibre or other - he and the girls wouldn't be safe against them if Phobos had anything to do with it. "We have to leave here. Now."


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry, but only one chapter to day, though I'll try to squeeze for three tomorrow or friday.. I have math homework to see to, and apparently functions don't find themselves, despite my 'thinks-he's-funny' math teacher said they basically do.. Yawning already..

* * *

><p>Will grimaced as Blunk walked along; hind in the air as he let his nose trail along the pavement like a dog. With dogs it could be cute, but Blunk was disgusting always, and his stench forced her and the girls to keep a distance of at least ten feet for the fear of their lives. Caleb, unfortunately, had stuck to her like glue, and as safe as it felt to basically have her own fully-fledged body guard (counting on that he would continue to keep her out of trouble, rather than taking a petty route to watch her dissolve into these slug's slime, or whatever their attack was), but she still owed him an apology. She'd acted on impulse, without any evidence that the poor guy had even known what he was doing - he couldn't have. "Will.. I'm sorry if I gave you any misguidance. I was just as wrong as you when I-"<p>

"Liar." Will bit out the words and stared forward, but it was still in her vision as Caleb's entire speech singed to ashes. She shouldn't have said that. She should have just accepted whatever he wanted to say and reply with her own timid sorry, but she was tired. Sick and tired of the game she was playing with him - lies and apologies and fighting all the time. If he wasn't going to be a friend then he wasn't worth bothering with. She knew from experience. "Caleb, why don't you just sti-"

"MUD!" Will heard Blunk, but by the time she'd looked for the munchkin, it was already disappearing round the corner and she frowned, before deciding that she hadn't really had anything clever to say anyway, so running wasn't such a bad alternative to continuing her insult. Maybe it was best left unspoken anyway. She skidded round the corner, to Blunk, who was sitting in a large puddle of brown gunge and singing was happiness as he splashed about. "Mud, mud, mud, mud! Mud, mud, muddy mud!"

Irma smiled, stopping behind her and motioning to Blunk with a thumb. "He's got a point actually.. Mud is muddy.."

Blunk went running again, and Will knew the passling had won as Hay Lin held out the map, shaking her head to tell her friend it wasn't neccessary. Taranee bent down to examine the mud, while Will found herself looking back for Caleb; for once in his life the guy was choosing to pace himself. Yeah, because now was really the time.. "Ew! Can't we just call the exterminator?"

Taranee jumped up into Irma's arms for protection from the little slug, and Will grinned at Irma, who squeamed uncomfortably. "Yeah, or, like a really large bird?"

Will smiled apreciativly of the joke, but Hay Lin squealed and Will stared at the 'slugs' now roughly the size of a large cat. She found herself backing into a huddle with the other girls, only stopping when her back hit Hay Lin, telling her their best bet to get away was to reach a wall or something. "Is it just me or are they coming towards us? They don't even have eyes!"

"They don't need eyes." Will double took as Caleb frowned at her; not judgingly, but simply serious of the situation. "They can probably smell you. Did Elyon have anything of yours when she crossed the Veil?"

Will opened her mouth to enforce a negative, but Irma beat her to the question, "She had one of my CDs.. But I don't think they're gonna eat Boyzilla.."

"The locket!" Will's back hit the wall and she looked at Hay Lin quizically. "We put hair in a friendship locket on her last birthday! It was Cornelia's idea!"

"That's why blondes aren't supposed to have ideas.." Will frowned, but Irma's focus quickly changed to the creepy-crawlies which were rapidly approaching, glancing and giving Caleb a nervous laugh. "Speedy little devils, aren't they.."

"Like I said, they can smell you! You need to go Guardian right now and get them back through that portal!" Will bit her lip, nodding to Caleb's command and pulling out the Heart.

"But Cornelia's the Earth guardian!" Taranee wailed, and Will found herself looking to Caleb to enforce her, but he only stared back, waiting for her to instruct. Will closed her eyes and winced, before deciding that going against her instinct might have the more desirable outcome; not to mention it being her favoured option to seeking out Cornelia.

"We can handle it.. We just have to be creative.. Guardians unite!"

**...**

Caleb watched silhouettes of bodies through bright lights; all of the movements seemed to take forever, when he was aware it was only a few seconds each time. It was a beautiful thing really and he never really took the time to watch; the lights blinding his eyes now as he refused to look away. All that power, and yet he was quite sure the pinkish glow was reserved for Will; not quite as bright, but far more elegant, he was sure, yes, that that was Will's glow. A humble power, but radiant all the same. He kept his eyes on the glow there; more like a mist over her, than the other's staggering light, but sure enough she was there; flying down a little more carefully than the others because she still hadn't entirely grasped their level of skill. Her power didn't suit her much. She was far, far too messy. "Air!"

Hay Lin had crouched forward; cutting her hand through the cold breeze and sending it to blow over the slugs that only seemed to slow slightly from her force. The girls then spread out, and Caleb found himself moving out of the way; hoping to avoid Taranee's attack of heavy fire balls. "FIRE!"

After the blaze, Caleb squinted over the deserted dry land, taking a reluctant step forward as Taranee landed in front of a hole from which they'd originally come; holding a flame at the ready as she examined the seemingly empty mud crators. She smiled up to him weakly, "Mrs Lin was right; without Cornelia our powers aren't as strong."

Caleb nodded at that, but his eyes caught a movement and the slugs threw out antenna-type bodily vines; wrapping themselves around Taranee as she screamed out. Caleb glanced back at Will and the others to ensure they'd stayed above ground, before charging at the slugs that seemed to be climbing over Taranee in a mountainous shape, though at the last step to her found his own leg falling into their piled bodies; being sucked in as they climbed over his skin with a slime that would only ensure their suffocation when they were covered entirely, but a thin hand latched it's fingers around his wrist and he did the same to Will as she pulled with a shaking strength - the slugs a bare opponent, so that his own weight was her only condition. He tried to tell her to let go, but the slugs' bodies engulfed him, more coming as Will slowly pulled him up and he knew she'd soon be covered too - it was her they wanted. "Caleb, get your opressed ass out of the slugs!"

He'd have laughed if he could breathe, but her words only gave him resolution that she, at least, had survived the encounter; Irma's quickly following. "Will! There's thousands of these things! How are we gonna get rid o-"

"Taranee!" Hay Lin chirped, and Caleb sucked in a deep breath as he was pulled up and desperatly wrapped his arms around Will's neck; looking down to see that to fall would be his death when he hit the ground where the slugs scattered, at least fifty feet below.

"You alright?" Caleb nodded as he dug his face into the crook of her neck; dizzy from lack of oxygen as Will slid her arms around him in a tighter grip, her smile verbalized in her words as a bright mirth of sarcasm, "I should have known; you did just succeed in sliming and almost strangling me simultaneously.. Please remember that if I die, you die."

"Huh, I didn't even say please.." Caleb frowned as he rolled his head to the side, continuing to lean it against Will's warmth as he gave Irma a questioning look, not quite getting whatever the joke was..

"Why aren't they going into the portal?" If it was possible, Will's grip tightened as she watched the creatures edge back into the earth below, ignoring the fizzling electrical sphere of energy.

"They're only baby slugs.. The mother sends her spawn to hunt for food.. When the young find it, mother follows.." Caleb leaned his head back as he looked directly into an umber bronze of worry that oozed from her wide eyes; her grip changing - loosening, then tightening as she tried to decide what she wanted, and Caleb found himself trapped there; seeing the goldish flecks that lit the very center before the pupil; tiny enough that they'd almost seemed invisable until now, as he swallowed at lips he'd usually bring his to meet in his dreams, yer almost found himself dreading the idea, here in the sky. It was nonsense, afterall. "Word has it, she's undefeated."


	7. Chapter 7

Will took Caleb to the ground and detransformed while the poor boy sighed, blushing when Taranee and Irma grabbed either side of him; hugging him close as they squealed, "What do the mother slugs eat?"

"Fresh fruit?" Will slid the heart under the zipper of her coat, unable to acheive even an uneasy laugh at Irma's poor quip. "Or maybe a nice salad?"

Caleb scratched his head; obviously unsure of how to deal with the girls' comfort-seeking hug. She knew she'd hae to call in _'Gaea' _eventually, and soaked in the precious moments until then. "Um.. She's more of a people-person.."

"WILL! WE NEED CORNELIA!" So much for precious moments.. Caleb's admittance was hardly a memory forever, but she only glared at Hay Lin and snatched the phone out of the Chinese girl's waving hand, fully aware of everyone watching as she punched into the saved numbers.

**...**

"Her mom says she hasn't seen her." It was getting dark now, and Cornelia was yet to be found as she'd evidently turned off her mobile, and hadn't been home. Will handed Hay Lin back the phone and Caleb watched the shadows, wondering if there was any possibility of Cornelia having also been attacked.. Without anyone to save her.

Hay Lin slipped the phone into her pocket and shivered, before Caleb found himself smiling at the mystically disappearing breeze. "What if those sluggy things have found her!"

Caleb sighed, shuffling his feet slightly at the prospect of revealing to Hay Lin how big a possibility it was. He knew it was selfish, but he found himself looking down at the road when Will's eyes searched his for answers, "Hay Lin, I'm sure she's just-"

"Not at the juice-bar. Not at the mall." Caleb kept his head bowed as he looked to Will, who's entire form slumped. Hay Lin had told him how she'd _'freaked' _last time they'd thought they'd lost Cornelia, and he knew that if Cornelia Hale was missing, the 'Browns' would be noticed far more quickly.. They couldn't afford to lose her.

The ground quivered and Caleb frowned at the slight unsettling of dirt and water displacement in puddles.. It was coming. "Um.. Will.. We may not have found Cornelia.. But I think we found momma.."

The ground's rattling increased, and Caleb's eyes flashed over the scene of four transfixed girls, as one by one the streetlamps flickered off. He pushed Taranee back and took limber steps to the others as the ground cracked, pulling and practically throwing Irma in the opposing direction of the road's growing hill-shape, grabbing the wrists of Hay Lin, who instantly looked at him and Will, who almost seemed to refuse his pull - her legs fixed squarely on the curb's edge as her big brown eyes grew larger.. "Will!"

Hay Lin's voice seemed to awaken her from her trance, and Caleb yanked the smaller of the girls away from the green, orange-speckled, slimy skin that he presumed to be the mother mudslug. He doubted Cornelia would've had a chance untransformed..

**...**

Cornelia Hale watched the clouds slowly creep across a royal blue sky, with her own baby-blues. A soft melody snaked it's way into her ears as she hugged the knees closer against the chill of the early-spring night. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that she was here, and it wasn't fair that she had to fight evil, and it wasn't fair that she never even really got a choice. It wasn't fair for any of them, but Cornelia swore she'd rather be worried sick about her missing friend, with no idea of the worlds of magic, than stuck here with Alchemy's tabby occasionally patting it's paws on her skirt as a request for stroking, and a hole in her heart as guilt eroded her: consuming all her wants and aspirations to make room for fear and despair. Will didn't know. Will wasn't even Elyon's friend, so she couldn't possibly understand. As much as Cornelia knew it wasn't Will's fault, it remained that Will didn't understand.


	8. Chapter 8

Taranee Cook leant against the pillar of a jungle gym, having had been pushed to run from the scene of the gigantic.. Slug. Until now, a slug had only been something she avoided for what Irma had become known to call Taranee's _'ew'-factor_. But this was no longer just something gross.. She was quite sure that she would have developed Molluscophobia by the end of the night. Will Vandom squeezed her eyes closed beside her, obviously tired from what appeared to have been Caleb pulling her past her limit for running speed; Hay Lin too, who'd taken to resting her head on Caleb's shoulder as he himself breathed loudly as though the air was thick. It was Irma though, who'd mock-fallen to the ground and was now laying, eyes closed and panting slightly. "Please.. Not.. Ever.. Again.."

"GIRLS! GIRLS!" Taranee looked up tiredly, and Will verbally moaned; rubbing her temples as though the run had been enough for her to contract a headache. "Might want see what Blu-WAAAH!"

Tentacles wrapped around the passling and Caleb pushed Hay Lin gently up with speed, running and skidding directly infront of the hole in the ground Blunk was being pulled into. The tentacles dropped their hold of the passling and Caleb stood, stuttering back a few steps to avoid an attack. "Will! Look! Where-ever we go.."

"THEY'RE FOLLOWING US!" Irma seemed to be yelling down at the slugs within the earth, as though her words would be heard and the slugs would stop, suddenly realizing that they were being rude to stalk them. As far as she knew, that wasn't likely and Irma scowled, motioning to the muddy grass, "Underground."

Will had gone however, and seemed to be talking as Caleb drew close, but the first thing Taranee could here was from Caleb, "Could she be at the music store?"

"It's closed." Taranee grimaced, and though she knew it was only Caleb being Caleb, she felt sorry for the serious look being directed at Will. He really could be almost scary.

"I only thought. Because she likes music." It was a hard tone, and his frown was deep as he worried about where she was. She knew as well as Caleb must that Cornelia might just be as good as dead.

"Wait!" Hay Lin shot up, pointing to Irma and jumping excitedly. "MUSIC! K-Drip, right?"

"Oh yeah! She loves those boo-hoo ballads!" Irma seemed to perk up too, and Taranee wondered if they'd be so happy if they knew how much danger Cornelia could be in. "_'OH HOW I WISH YOU WOULD NOT LEAVE MEEEE!'_!"

Then it struck. What Hay Lin was trying to say. Taranee burst through Irma's 'air-guitar' solo and grabbed the brunette's shoulders, "Where's the transmitter?"

"Kaine Street! Let's go!" Will shoved past, and Taranee grinned as Caleb scratched his head, smiling confusedly. It was, she guessed, something to do with Will's sudden leadership, after a long day of reluctance to give orders.. Will's emotions did seem to do turntables when it came to dealing with Cornelia..

**...**

Caleb's entire weight hit the doors before being knocked back, leaving him realizing the place was locked, so he instead slammed a frustrated fist against the plasticy windows of the cheap doors. Will seemed to have snapped back and as far as Caleb was concerned, their best bet was to get the job done before whatever was stopping her before came back. Hay Lin came beside him and gave the door her own shove before wailing, "But we have to contact the DJ!"

"K-drip's pre-recorded." Caleb whipped his head around as Will thumbed her temple, causing Caleb to smile as she was rubbing in smooth circles, but it wouldn't ease her headache unless she went over and forward rather than back. Only Will wouldn't notice she was making her headache worse. "They play the same songs from six. After this comes _'My heart breaks for ya'_, then-"

"You actually know this?"

Irma looked at Will as if she were a slug and Caleb laughed, obviously at the wrong time as he ended up being stared daggers at by Will, who then turned back to Irma and shrugged. "Mm.. Sappy music goes perfect with being grounded.."

Now was not the time and Caleb stepped between Will and Irma, "Can we break into the building and patch into the system?"

"With what!" He'd looked at Will, but Irma shoved him back, pointing an embittered finger onto his chest, "Some shoelaces and gum? It doesn't even have any windows! And Corny's the only one who can move bricks or are you hiding something from us?"

"THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY!" Caleb bit back the retort he'd had for Irma and turned to watch Will, who moaned and turned around to pace. He supposed this was what Hay Lin meant by freaking.. "CORNELIA IS ONE OF US! WE HAVE TO REACH HER! WITHOUT HER WE'RE JUST.. JUST.."

"W.i.t.h.?" Irma drawled from beside him, and he turned her face, by her chin between his finger and thumb, to give her a warning look. Now was not the time to be joking, _or _making fun of Will... No matter how crazy she may have looked, throwing her arms into the air and pacing around with frantic energy.. No matter how crazy..

* * *

><p>This is it for today; I'll try to do 3 for tomorrow to make up for yesterday though.. If not.. I <em>do <em>update like everyday anyway.. :L


	9. Chapter 9

Suddenly, Will screamed, jumping up and Caleb frowned as the girls laughed at her. The Heart was.. Buzzing.. Will slipped the pendant from the confines of her thick jacket and stared as it shone brightly, ignoring the pain as it blinded her vision.. "Um.. What's it doing?"

The speakers just outside the building seemed to give out, except that when she wrapped her fingers around the crystal orb, the speakers crackled and wailed. Like tapping a mic. Hay Lin leaned forward and flicked a finger on the Heart, testing, before nudging Will with news she had by then figured out herself. "Psst.. You're on the air Will.."

"Oh.." Will didn't know what to do. She pulled the Heart up to her face, before remembering that mic's were better a few inches away.. Was that how it'd work now? She tried to ignore the girls around her, think of what she might say to Cornelia, but all she could think is that now, everyone was listening. "Hi.. Sorry to break into a.. Uh.. Real _'zippy' _set.."

"Nice.." Will glanced at Irma, who gave her a thumbs up; assumably for the sarcasm, but Will ignored her - she knew what she had to say.

"But I have a dedication going out to my friend... At least I hope she is.."

**...**

_#'Cornelia..'#_ Cornelia glanced to Alchemy, who appeared to still be asleep; having had dozed off about half an hour before, but before she even said it, Cornelia could've sworn it was Will's voice, crackling noisily over the music, _#'Cornelia, if you're listening, it's Will. I'm.. I'm sorry we fought and.. And that I let you go without more of a fight.. Listen.. The girls and I are in trouble and we really need you..'#_

_#'Meet us where you told us you learned to ride your bike!'# _Cornelia leaned her shoulders back as Irma's voice took over, staring out into the clear night, glad that she had another chance.. Will had made a mistake, but Cornelia knew that her own mistake was worse: giving up. _#'Prepare to be on Guard.'#_

Cornelia pulled the headset off, smiling as she wondered if that was Irma's idea of a subtle joke.. She pushed her numbing legs out from their bent position and stretched, taking a quick look down at Alchemy, before taking large strides out of the room, out of the house, and into the night, grabbing the bike she'd parked around the corner of Alchemy's house on arrival.

**...**

"I hope it went in sideways.." Caleb grabbed Irma's shoulder; pulling her back as she leaned too far in the hole, just about ready to scold her when his heart jumped; Hay Lin grabbing Taranee to pull herself back up as she nearly slipped in.

Taranee herself pulled Hay Lin up as she peered over the thich rims of her glasses. "I thought I was freaked before.. Heh.. Heh.. Turns out I was just semi-freaked.. Because now.. I am freaky freaked!"

Caleb's eyes widened and his cheeks shone pinkish as Will raised a humored eyebrow up at Taranee jumping him with a terrified hug. He tried to smile comfortingly as he gently extracted himself from within the girl's shaking form, though he nearly snapped out an angry scold to Hay Lin who was already kneeling and leaning back over the hole. "How long is it?"

"I've never seen one completely out of it's hole.." Caleb left Taranee standing with her arms around her own chest, not entirely sure if it was the cold or her fear that was getting to her as he took long strides to Hay Lin; yanking her up and away with fear for her safety. He could only thank that someone high up liked him enough that it was only three of them who refused to keep a safe distance; if he tried to extract Will from a dangerously close perimiter, he didn't doubt that he'd be the one falling in the hole.. And _'falling' _was probably not the word to use..

"Woa-AAAHH!" Will's brown eyes grew wide and he stared at her for the longest three seconds of his life, sure that he'd never heard her scream before.. Not like that. Quickly the girls had all turned in the direction Will was facing, and he too turned to face what was now causing a mass-screaming padgent.

The Mudslug's viney white tentacle surged towards them and they broke formation, Caleb instantly cursing himself as he realized he should've leapt the other way.. Will was probably.. "WAAH!"

Caleb turned to see that Will hadn't been petrified still at all, apparently the victim of today's list being the little African-American girl who not a minute ago been safely latching onto him. He shouldn't have just left her there.. Will would never forgive him. Not Taranee.. Caleb pushed his speed to it's limits as he rounded a bilboard, which appeared to be blocking out most of the view of the gigantic mother slug, trying to push it to the back of his mind that they still had no idea if Cornelia had even made it.. Caleb saw the ladder on the side of the billboard, and grabbed one of the lingering young of the slug; pulling himself and the mudslug up onto the top, before holding it out by it's tail. "HEY UGLY! OVER HERE!"

He had no God-damn idea what he was doing and decended into a pounding run as he saw Taranee being flung away, and he hoped that someone would have the sense to help her. He continued to holler out insults that he knew the creature wouldn't understand: it could hear him, but he doubted it would know what he was saying. Caleb jumped over and dodged tentacles that were strong enough that they tore through the cement and metal of the billboard stand like paper, except he knew that it wouldn't last long and a few clumsy footfalls later confirmed that; a tentacle wrapping tightly up his leg. He wasn't what the slug wanted though; it couldn't smell him and he supposed it wanted only what it had come for, so he could only brace himself as it threw him back through the icy air and he smashed through wood; which tore with a sound that Caleb could only use to describe how he felt inside from the ride. For once he was glad for the mudslugs and picked himself up off their matress of bodies. His head was pounding, and the room of whatever this shed was seemed to swirl but he forced himself up anyway, pushing his entire weight against the meek bare-wood door, which swung loosely open. "Caleb!"


	10. Chapter 10

It wasn't a remark for the boy, but a command for the others, which Will was glad the two girls, Taranee and Hay Lin seemed to understand as they caught his arms around their shoulders, just as his knees seem to give in to collapse. Will frowned as Taranee smiled weakly, speaking with a silently quiet voice, but assumed it to be thanks as the rebel leader coughed tiredly, uttering a characteristicly hard, "No problem.."

Irma, beside her, took on a defensive pose, but it wouldn't matter if Irma's water was at the ready if she didn't have enough power over the liquid to direct it, "We don't have enough power!"

**...**

Cornelia had heard Will and slit her eyes as she concentrated all of her energy into pedalling her bike to move faster, ignoring the massive shadow and assuming it was best not to look at whatever she was about to fight, skidding when she reached the girls and Caleb, though she'd mostly seen the brown eyes that had locked onto her. "Cornelia!"

Cornelia stared up at the massive.. Thing.. And scrunched up her nose at it's slimy skin and tentacles. "Ew! Super ick!"

"You came!" Cornelia smiled, appreciative of the happy glimmer in Will's eyes as she stared up at Cornelia, but Cornelia knew she didn't deserve the adulation.

"I'm a sucker for radio dedications okay?" Cornelia shot Will a winning smile despite the heavy feeling in her heart that she should have been nicer to Will.. Hadn't she made that resolution before? This time she was serious. "And besides.. I couldn't let my girlies down!"

The girls all smiled at her as if she done something heroic, and she'd for a second thought that Caleb's grim features were of issue with her, before she worriedly realized that he looked a state. He was leaning on both Taranee and Hay Lin and Cornelia could see from here the tremble of an adrenaline rush she herself got when she was injured in skating. She wondered what could do to him, what falling against cold, hard ice did to her. She soberly shook the thought that it could've been avoided with her presence and looked to Will who jumped up with a new boost of life, "Guardians unite!"

Bright lights and a familiarly comfortable warmth thread through her and Cornelia wondered why she'd ever been in doubt of the powers of guardianship. Sure, the pain was hard, but the feeling that was oozing through her now was incredible. When the transformation was complete she glanced to Caleb who stood alone, at least able to hold himself after whatever she had missed. She flew up and heard the swishing of the breeze as the girls followed after her to look at their _'beast'_. "So what's the score?"

"We're down one in over time!" Cornelia grinned, fueled with her power, alongside with the happiness of simply having her friends with her, and Irma sent her a wink after calling out the words like an announcement at a game.

Will bit her lip and Cornelia sent her a small smile as Will's eyes darted from them to Caleb, obviously worried of what she might say. It ached for Cornelia to think she might have withdrawn Will to being affraid to give order, but she knew someone would have to do something. She'd just have to try to be.. Suggesting.. Rather than ordering, as Will finally spoke, "If only we could move the portal.. I mean.."

"We don't have to." Cornelia smiled as Will looked at her solumnly, "We can do the next best thing. Distract him."

"It's a _her_." Hay Lin piped up, but Cornelia was busy kicking herself for saying that. Ordering and not suggesting.. It would have to wait though as the monster was the most important thing, and Will seemed to be distracted herself as she glanced again to the injured boy. Something pretty bad must've happened to make Will worry, and Cornelia almost flew over to tell her that he'd be fine. Will had been the one responsible for it last time he'd collapsed: Cornelia had left the boring stuff up to Will with no complaint, including waiting after Caleb.

"Whatever."

**...**

Cornelia flew to the ground at full pelt and Caleb took a step back as he watched her push her hand against the ground in front of her. The mother slug was not three feet away and Caleb knew he was about to have to grab her, but found himself stuck as she called out. "EARTH!"

The ground cracked and Caleb shook his head slowly. A circle had formed where the earth had been cut off directly around the mudslug, and Cornelia was crazy if she thought she could lift that. His attention wavered though, as Taranee yelled out an insult before throwing a mass of pure flame at the slug and distracting it from whatever stunt Cornelia was trying to pull. Caleb watched, muscles aching as he saw Taranee try to loop and fly from the creature's tentacles; the Mudslug having bat away the flame as if it were nothing. Hay Lin and Irma flew down when a tentacle hit Taranee; meeting her where she fell to on the ground, but Caleb's eyes were on Will - the only one left in the air. She'd get herself killed if past evidence stood to it's form. "HEY! OVER HERE!"

And suddenly his body cried out for him to stop; he was left running again.

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><p>Okay, well I'm going to try to get the home-mac later, but this may be it sorry :)<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Will could only watch in awe, landing as Irma and Hay Lin joined hands, forming a ball of their raw energies and throwing the wind and water against the giant billboard, knocking it over the Mudslug. Hay Lin shrugged to Irma and said something, but Will's eyes were darting over to Caleb, who was no longer pursued by the slug, then to Cornelia where here eyes fixed and she breathed the only word to describe what she saw.. "Wow.."

She glanced as Caleb walked towards her but he too was marveling Cornelia's state: ten feet in the air she seemed to float rather than fly, with her blonde hair spreading in a breeze Will couldn't feel. It almost felt a bit like she was being kicked in the ankles though, as Cornelia stretched her arms out; suddenly the ambrosial structure of beauty and power - the Earth literally moving for her. "O, óchi.. Gamóto.."

She'd always wondered what it'd take to impress Caleb - just a mild question lingering in the back of her mind, but here was her answer. Caleb looked impressed now as the Mudslug writhed against Cornelia's power to no end; it flew into the portal with immense force, and Will clutched her slim fingers around the Heart, suddenly a little less dazzled that tidying up after Cornelia was done was her power; all for her own. She wondered how Caleb had ever managed to convince her it might be a privilege.. She was their janitor. She locked up after closing time. Cornelia began to drop to the ground and Will was startled out of her thoughts as Caleb leapt forward to catch her in his arms; his knees giving and Will found herself looking away out of embarrassment as Cornelia's wide eyes stared up at him dazedly. It wasn't Will's place to evade their privacy. No, Will thought, pulling out a dimly glowing pendant from her jacket. It was her job to tidy up. There was a reason they gave the power to Will and not to _'Gaea'_. Pretty girls didn't tidy up. They were busy sucking face with prince charming.

Will closed the portal and transformed them back into human-form, a slight hope itching that the dim green light wake Caleb from him blank-looking stupor as Cornelia and he stood up; Cornelia instantly latching onto his arm. She thought it'd be a long walk home, but Caleb shrugged Cornelia off, calling out for Blunk, who crept out of hiding in a slug' hole. "Blunk!"

**...**

Cornelia watched as Caleb picked up the smelly toad that was Blunk, and gave him an appreciative smile as he took to walking ahead with the girls. Will started walking too then, but Cornelia placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She had to fix things.. And there's never a time quite like the present so she smiled kindly as Will's big, brown eyes looked questioningly to her. It saddened Cornelia, that she almost saw Will retreating, without Cornelia even speaking. "I didn't mean to take over there, Will I just-"

"Yeah," Will i her lip and looked down at her feet, which shuffled nervously in the situation. "I know.."

"I get jealous that you're the leader sometimes." Cornelia's eyes flashed up as soon as Will's did, only having clamped her teeth together seconds too late after the words had slipped out. But there was a faint glimmer of something in Will's shy browns, that Cornelia could not deny as fairly brassily resembling hope. Hope for their friendship. "I'm really sorry Will."

"I'm sorry about Elyon.." Will's voice was small, but her words emmense, giving Cornelia an awkward urge to wrap her arms around Will and cry for all she was worth. But Cornelia was tired. Exhausted. She didn't even have the energy to cry and if she hugged Will she would, so she only pat her hand on the scruffy redhead's shoulder and let the night lull her into a sense of calm as the walked the streets behind Caleb and the animatedly talking Irma, Hay Lin and Taranee. Caleb's steps still had a slight stutter, but she knew from experience that it wouldn't last and she suddenly remembered Will's concern.

"He'll be alright.. Caleb. He'll be fine Will, it's just adrenaline, it'll wear off.." But Will was looking at her, dazed; the glazed look telling Cornelia it had probably been a long day for Will and the girls, and Will probably didn't even remember her moment of worry. "..It doesn't matter.. It's good to be back."

**...**

Will didn't know if it was a good sign, but she felt comfortable as she and Cornelia walked on, until the turning where Cornelia's home became on a different route to her and the girls. It was Will's turning next, and she'd expected to walk the ten minutes alone in the silence, but when she'd waved a farewell to Cornelia, she turned around to find Caleb's tall form leaning against a lamppost a few feet away; waiting for her to catch up. Waiting for her. "Arketá Will.."

"Ah-keta yourself, Caleb." Will found herself mimicking the small wry smile on Caleb's lips, for once unoffended as he gazed at her with a tired look. He was still shaking, and a part of her wanted to just grab that head of his to check for a concussion, _just in case.._ She'd never forgive herself if he collapsed again, and although he didn't look ill, the completely serene outlook he seemed to be viewing her with made her feel a little uncomfortable, if only because she was stood in front of him, yet he showed no sign of even contemplating movement. "Are we going or what?"

"No." Will didn't like the cold that crept over her skin as she looked into startling green eyes that refused to release her from their grasp. "Why were you so mad at me Will? Was it because I took her to-"

"No." Will's interruption was only to stop him from saying it, but Will forced herself to close her eyes and hide the truth of his actions' consequences. But she wasn't mad about that anymore. She'd only been mad at what Drake had said. "You told me I was a good leader Caleb. You told me I had made a perfect decision. You made me think-"

Will's eyes flashed open as she found something pressed against her lips. His index stopped her in her tracks and Caleb seemed somber now. "I know I did Will.. I really did think.. You're really great, and I swear I mean that. A great leader."

"But-" Will dropped her argument before she'd made it as he almost glared at her, but not quite. It was softer than that; just a silent way of quieting her.

"Do you know how long it took me Will? Years, Will; years." Will's eyes widened as Caleb frowned slightly, pressing his fingers and thumb over his tired eyes. It might've been the first time Caleb had gone out of his way to tell her something about himself and Will tried to shake any sleep out of her as she wanted to remember this. "It took me two and a half years to get where I am with the rebellion today, Will, and in three months you've out grown me. Arketá Will, you really are something."

Something. She was something. It didn't occur to her how small she'd have to have been for his words to mean as much as they did to her. She bit her lips to hide a beaming smile that was forming as Caleb avoided her gaze, his ears growing red at the tips.

**...**

Caleb's face grew hot to match his ears, but he tried to ignore it, remembering how fast she'd withdrawn last time when he hadn't known what to do, but he let his arms wrap carefully around her slim shoulders; finding himself beaming when he'd completed the hug. He'd done it. And the only thing that could ruin it now would be when he had to let go, because it was nice. Brilliant. He'd once or twice hugged Aldarn, but it was nothing like this, total comfort as he relaxed his still shaking body around hers and closed his eyes to listen only to the distant sounds of ambiance paired with Will's deep, calming breaths. "Thank you."

And then Caleb shot back, out of the hug. She'd sounded like.. She hadn't sounded like Will and he knew it was stupid but he couldn't help but shy away as he tried desperately not to think of how this was so similar to his dreams. He found himself again pressing his fingers against his eyelids, not wanting to look at her for the shame of his own thoughts.. "Will.. I'm sorry, I- ah.. Gotta go.. It's getting late."

"Okay.. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Ah.. Yeah, if you want." Caleb smiled uneasily as Will's brown eyes glittered in the street-light and she smiled happily at him, before wiggling her fingers in a silent farewell. "Tomorrow then, arketá Will."

* * *

><p>Sorry Tessa, changed my mind and went for one longish bit of fluff.. I'm not fond of the end of this one :)<p>

**UP NEXT - MY W.I.T.C.H. 23: Ghosts of Elyon**


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